Never Meant to Be
by NinNinKakizaki2015
Summary: He was an Exalt of high order. She was a Pegasus Knight dedicated to serve. Was it really never meant to be? Chrom x Cordelia.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem or any of its characters.**

"Oh Pegasus Poop, now I've done it again!"

Cordelia heard a crash and a subsequent cry of pain while she was working on tending to the remaining Pegasi. Shaking her head, she walked over a few stalls and to no surprise, she saw her friend Sumia on the ground, in the midst of strewn hay piles, tools, and Pegasus droppings.

"Say Sumia, how on earth do you ever get yourself into these situations?"

"I'm sorry Cordelia, it's just these boots, they never seem to want to go where I want to go…"

Cordelia sighed. There was no use in telling her friend off, given that they've known each other for years, and that Sumia, well, was just like that. Not to mention she did indeed look cute while flustered.

"There, there, up you get now," Cordelia extended her hand to help Sumia up and proceeded to dust her off. "No use in pouting now, especially on a day like this, right?"

"Oh, I know, but…"

"Better hurry along now, or you'll be late. Your dress should be hanging by the mirror in your room, so you'd better get changed quickly. Don't want to miss out on your opportunity."

"But Cordelia, I made this big mess! I can't just leave you to it!"

"It's alright Sumia, I've got it covered. You just run along now and leave everything to me alright?"

"Okay…" Sumia mumbled as she walked out the door. However, she turned back and said, "Will you be there as well? I'm sure you'll also be able to…"

"Don't worry about me, I'll catch up. And besides…" Cordelia felt a slight pang in her chest. "I'm pretty sure he's got his eyes on you. There's no doubt he'll pick you out of all others…"

Sumia hung her head, torn between wanting to help out her friend and this once in a lifetime chance. Being the nice girl she is, she really wanted to help Cordelia, but knowing herself, she would probably make things worse.

"But promise me this," Sumia demanded. "You will be there, understood?"

"Yes, yes, I said I'll catch up…"

As Sumia waved goodbye, Cordelia let out a hefty sigh. What was the point in going anyway? There was no way he was going to lay his eyes on her. She wished Sumia luck as she went back into the stables to clean up the mess.

The Halidom of Ylisse had endured 2 years of lasting peace. Brought upon them by the defeat of the Mad King Gangrel, the Shepherds rejoiced in their victory, celebrating the fruits of their labour and bringing a sense of security to the nation.

However, with victory came a cost, in which Exalt Emmeryn sacrificed herself for the greater good. Left with no ruler, there was no doubt who would come next in line to succeed the throne.

Chrom, newly crowned Exalt and leader of the Shepherds, didn't like the position he was put in. Yet, it was for the sake of duty, and he didn't want to let his sister Emmeryn's memory fade away in vain.

Likewise, under the pretense of losing their leader again, the nobles of House Ylisse persuaded Chrom to wed as soon as possible. Under their guidance, a ball was to be held at the castle, intended to help Chrom find the most suitable maiden to become his bride.

Ylisse was in uproar. A chance to become the beloved of the ever-so handsome Exalt? It was an opportunity every maiden had only ever dreamed of. News spread like wildfire throughout the Halidom, and pretty soon, the very time had come.

And this is where we find our friend Cordelia in a bit of a predicament.

Yes, just like any other maiden, she developed a fondness for Chrom. To Cordelia, Chrom was the perfect embodiment of an able-bodied husband. One that females would swoon over. One that could make your heart flutter. One that can return that mutual feeling you felt for him…

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. As much as Cordelia liked Chrom, it didn't seem so the other way around. Either Cordelia was too shy to admit it, or that Chrom was just oblivious to her. Things always seemed that way for as long as Cordelia could remember.

And then came the history lessons the Pegasus Knights had to take mandatorily as part of their training regimen. Cordelia had stumbled upon an excerpt regarding the ancestry of the Exalted bloodline. Interested, Cordelia read on.

_The kingdom of Altea, taken over by dark forces. One lone Prince Marth, off to reclaim his land with the help of friends. One Pegasus Knight, one of three sisters who would come to meet this Prince Marth. One tale of unrequited love…_

And that was what grabbed Cordelia's attention. Unrequited love. It sounded way too similar with the situation she was in now. And it made her doubt herself even more so.

Cordelia had finished cleaning and went over to the barracks to hang up her armour. What was the point in trying, knowing that history just may repeat itself? She went over to a closet and opened it. Inside was a dazzling, red silk dress that Cordelia had tailored herself just a few days prior. She won't be needing it, as she declared to herself that she wasn't going to attend the ball.

Cordelia put the dress on. Did she ever look so stunning in that attire! Her red hair matched the dress' shade of red perfectly, accentuating the best of Cordelia's feminine features. Any man would have fallen for her just by her looks. Just anyone…

But Cordelia never wanted any of that. Sure, she had the looks, she had the skills, she even had the demeanour that made people think of her as the ideal woman. A lot of people looked up to her, being the person that she is, and had a lot of suitors to boot.

That was not what Cordelia wanted. She never did like any of that. If she were that attractive, why was she never able to get Chrom's attention? What was the point if she couldn't even get the attention of the one that she felt destined to be with?

Not that Chrom didn't have anyone else to be fawning over. Being the Prince, no Exalt of the Halidom, had its advantages. First off, there was Sumia, always worried over the safety of Chrom, picking flower fortunes and spreading cheer with her power over nature and animals. She even was brave enough to swoop down and save Chrom from a barrage of flying arrows! It seriously took dedication for someone to be devoted to one person like that.

Then there was Sully, Chrom's childhood friend and preferred sparring partner. She was a tomboy, and many of her feminine features were obscured by her rough exterior. However, when they ever did stand out, it was because of Chrom's presence. The two would often go at it for hours, sword against lance, and neither one letting their guard down, giving it their all.

Maribelle was a noble of high order, and was best friends with Chrom's younger sister Lissa. Being of noble lineage, it was obvious that many affairs were conducted between the nobles of the Halidom and the royalty from House Ylisse. In recent times, it seemed as though Maribelle, despite her somewhat stuck-up attitude towards most people, was no longer just warming up to Lissa anymore. She had been in Chrom's presence for some time now, which often triggered jealous glares from other maidens of nobility.

Finally, then came Olivia, the caravan dancer from Regna Ferox. She was pretty, for sure, and would catch anyone's eyes whenever she passed by. And she was a dancer for goodness sake! Olivia could captivate the hearts of many just by her mesmerizing dances, although she is often shy about it. During the Shepherds' final battle against Gangrel, Cordelia could see Olivia clinging on to Chrom as he fought off Plegian soldiers in his effort to reach the Mad King.

Oh what was she thinking? Cordelia hung her head in shame. Here she was, thinking badly of her friends, while all they really did was nothing in particular. What warranted her to talk down upon them just because of their advances towards Chrom?

"I'm such a horrible person…"

_Their love shall be forever unrequited…_

"No, don't think that way…"

_The Prince shall marry another…_

"Stop thinking that! You're better than this Cordelia…"

_This relationship was never meant to be…_

"….lia…"

A voice was calling from the distance. It was faint, yet somewhat discernible. Somehow, it sounded familiar, or was it just Cordelia's mind playing tricks on her?

"…delia…."

That just wasn't it. There was no way he could be here, given that he was to be hosting the ball. Cordelia was only wishing that he was here. She tried to push those thoughts away, but somehow, just somehow, they just wouldn't go…

"Cordelia? You're crying."

"Eh?" Cordelia looked up from her seated position, in which her face was buried in her arms. Kneeling beside her, looking as gallant as ever, was none other than Chrom, Exalt of Ylisse.

"L..L…Lord Chrom!" Oh no, Cordelia hadn't prepared herself for this sudden turn in events. Just like every other encounter with the Exalt, her heart began to hammer so rapidly, she could never put her thoughts into words. Wiping off her face, she said, "W…W…What brings you here?"

"Could ask you the same question myself," came Chrom's reply. He stood up and stared out the window. "How come you weren't at the ball?"

"I…um…I didn't…." Cordelia didn't know what to say. Was it really that bad that she didn't attend? After all, the Shepherds were all invited, and Cordelia was pretty sure everyone went.

"Never mind that, I was just fooling around with you."

"Huh?"

Chrom sighed as he went to sit beside Cordelia. She flushed, feeling the pressure of having the Exalt of Ylisse in such close proximity to her. And what did he mean by his fooling around with her?

"I'm pretty sure the ball's still going, and Lissa's doing a good job of keeping the guests entertained," He turned to face Cordelia, who was still trying to hide her own. "But you know me, I'm not really into these formal occasions. Well, more or less not used to them yet."

Now Cordelia was confused. Why was Chrom being so cryptic all of a sudden? Whatever he was saying now didn't make any sense. Of course he should be at the ball! What about the future of Ylisse? What about all those maidens who worked so hard to make themselves presentable to him? How could he just shrug off such an important duty like that?

"Lord Chrom, why…"

But Chrom cut her off. Shaking his head, he pulled out a book, and to Cordelia's surprise, it was the very same book where she had learned of Prince Marth and his relationship to the Pegasus Knight Catria. Interested, she watched as Chrom turned to the very same page she had recalled just a few moments ago.

_The kingdom of Altea, taken over by dark forces. One lone Prince Marth, off to reclaim his land with the help of friends. One Pegasus Knight, one of three sisters who would come to meet this Prince Marth. One tale of unrequited love…_

"I mean, do you really believe that?" Chrom questioned in exasperation. "I came across this moment in history during my studies and I tell myself: 'How is this possible?' I may not know much about my ancestor's personal life, but to not notice something like that?"

Chrom pointed at the illustration, a painting of the Pegasus Knight Catria watching Prince Marth from a distance. Cordelia couldn't help but think that this was the same exact situation she was in right now. But why of all people was Chrom telling her this?

"Listen to me Cordelia."

Chrom dropped the book and faced Cordelia again, which made her face turn a bright shade of pink. With that ever-so handsome smile and charisma, Chrom said, "Let me tell you what I think. I don't need a formal gathering to decide whom I shall marry. It has been already decided, and it was my decision. And as may friend Robin had said,"

Chrom placed his forehead over top of Cordelia's.

"We're not pawns of some scripted fate. I believe we're more. Much more… There's something between us all. Something that keeps us together. Like… invisible ties, connecting us."

Chrom then lifted his head and stared straight into Cordelia's eyes, which were wide in shock. He chuckled a little, saying, "Well now, I do believe these ties are becoming more and more visible. Don't you think?"

"Lord Chrom, what are you implying?"

Chrom reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He handed it over the Cordelia, who looked at him in confusion.

"Open it," was all he said.

Cordelia did so, and to her surprise, it was…

"This ring! It bears the crest of the royal family of Ylisse! How can I possibly…"

"And this is why I'm giving it to you," Chrom took a deep breath before continuing. "I've had my eyes on you for a while now. To me, you were the ideal woman, being able to capture the hearts of many with your efforts both in and out of battle. You almost seemed too perfect, so perfect that in fact, I thought I was never able to get close enough to know you…"

"But Chrom, that's what I should be saying! I never thought that I'd be able to suit to your liking, with you being from the royal family and all…"

"So then be it! Both our minds think alike then!" Chrom suddenly burst out, which took Cordelia by surprise. However, one thing seemed to be different though. Her heart was no longer beating rapidly. It was as though it had accepted what was about to come, and was just waiting for the right answer.

Now it was Chrom's turn to blush. It seemed as though he was preparing for this very moment, and didn't want to have to back out in failure. Clearing his throat, he said, "Will you, Cordelia, will you grant me the honour of ruling over Ylisse by my side, as my wife?"

After all this time, Cordelia had been hoping for this moment. She had never expected Chrom's feelings to be mutual towards her and now, she felt like she was living in her dream. She had achieved what she wanted, and she didn't need some historian to draft out her fate.

They were both going to write their own history, without any limits, without any rules. They were going to be with each other to the bitter end.

And Cordelia flung her arms around her beloved Chrom.

"Yes…" she said with tears in her eyes. "Of course I will…"

**A/N: Ah yes, Chrom and Cordelia. One potential pairing neglected by the developers in favour of pulling off a Catria archetype. No matter, we have this instead. Like it? Please leave a friendly review, and thanks for dropping by!**


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